Kremlin Denies Lavrov Fell Out of Favor With Putin After Trump Summit Cancellation
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed rumors that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov lost favor with President Vladimir Putin. Speaking to Russian media on November 7, Peskov said,
"I will give you a brief answer: there is nothing true in these reports. Lavrov is working as the foreign minister, of course."
The denial follows reports suggesting Lavrov's influence had decreased after a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which allegedly influenced the cancellation of the planned Budapest summit between Putin and the U.S. president.
Lavrov’s Absence and Leadership Changes
- Lavrov, a permanent member of the Russian Security Council, was absent from a key meeting chaired by Putin on November 5, fueling speculation about his Kremlin standing.
- He also lost his role as head of the Russian delegation at this year's G20 summit, which will be led by Maxim Oreshkin, deputy head of Russia's presidential administration.
Details of the Cancelled Summit
On October 21, Lavrov spoke with Rubio by phone to negotiate terms for the Budapest summit. Rubio subsequently advised the U.S. president to cancel the meeting.
Sources told Reuters that the cancellation resulted from the Kremlin’s inflexible negotiating position, demanding excessive concessions and rejecting a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Following the summit's collapse, the U.S. imposed its first sanctions on Russia since President Trump’s return to office, targeting the oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil.
Summary: The Kremlin denies any fallout between Putin and Lavrov despite changes in Lavrov’s roles and the cancellation of the Trump-Putin summit, which followed tough negotiations and U.S. sanctions on Russia.
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